Guardian of the Flame
by Dreaming of the Sky
Summary: He has a secret. It is a secret that will eventually carve his name into history as the most powerful shinobi to have walked the Elemental Nations. He is the Guardian of the Flame. He is forever.
1. Genin

_A/N:_

_Hello everyone, I am Dreaming of the Sky, and I bring you my very first story ever. _

_I would like to thank __Mr AnimeKidd__ and __ILikeReading1__ for helping me with this. Without these two amazing people I would not only have the courage to actually post anything on this site, but have a story to write. So thank you, both of you. _

_I just want to say this now. This is a story in which Naruto joins the Shugonin Jūnishi (Twelve Guardian Ninja). _

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><p>Guardian of the Flame<p>

Chapter One – Genin

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><p>Uzumaki Naruto, seven years old, had done what everyone said was impossible. He had graduated from the academy, five years earlier than his class was supposed to.<p>

It hadn't been easy, especially when everyone was out to make his journey all the more difficult. It was strange, why did what seemed like the entire village dislike him so much? He was only seven; he couldn't have done something to upset _everyone_, could he?

He sighed, shrugging as he trailed behind the three figures that he followed. Slightly in front of him and to his left was Hyūga Takashi, a twelve year old newly stated genin of Konohagakure no Sato. Naruto wasn't positive, but he sometimes caught his sempai looking at other boys the way girls do. The long, black-haired boy would glance at boys in a way that expressed yearning. Ah well, Naruto had decided that everyone had a right to like, and dislike, what they wanted.

Next to Takashi was Sarutobi Tama, a girl with long, brown hair and brown eyes. She was the same age as Takashi, and just as strange. Tama was a member of the same clan as the Sandaime Hokage, and she made sure everyone knew of this every chance she could get. It was somewhat annoying, but Naruto had learned how to deal with annoying. After all, how else could one put up with the glares of hatred the villagers showered him with?

Directly in front of them was their new sensei, a man named Nara Yori. His short, black hair matched his calculating eyes. The intelligence behind the façade of laziness excited Naruto somewhat. He had always appreciated intellect over brute force, and the skinny, unintimidating man was a prime example of that.

Naruto, in his black pants and long-sleeved, black shirt that had an orange stripe down the middle, with his black shinobi sandals and matching hitai-ate walked silently behind these three, his hands behind his back, his eyes roaming the multitude of trees their sensei was taking them through. His teammates had complained when they heard there was yet another test before they could truly claim to belong in the ranks of the shinobi, but Naruto had only shown interest. He wasn't all that interested in tests, but when he thought about being tested by someone who he knew to be smart, he couldn't wait to see what it was all about.

Their sensei, hopefully, stopped abruptly. "This is training ground three, and it is where your real genin test begins." Tama groaned, glancing at Takashi. It was no small secret that they were best friends. Naruto stayed silent still, not wanting his newest teammates to dislike the fact that they had him on their team. It didn't really bother him too much. Them disliking him wasn't out of the ordinary. After all, everyone usually disliked him… "The test is simple," Yori-sensei continued. "One of you just needs to touch me." He smirked.

Tama gave a victorious smile, punching her hand with her fist. "Ha! Sensei, that's too easy!" She even snorted. "Even with the baby we can do that!" Takashi smirked at his friends' words about the "baby", that nickname given to him by her the day he was put in their class a year ago.

Yori frowned. It seemed that the two oldest weren't very fond of the small blond boy. Yori was no idiot, even in the slightest bit. He knew who Uzumaki was, and what everyone thought of him. He personally was indifferent about the whole situation. He hadn't lost any family, or friends, in the Kyūbi attack, and even if he had he was smart enough to know that the child was not the Kyūbi, no matter how much the villagers wanted him to be.

"We'll see." He said. He took a relaxed, almost lazy stance, knowing that mere genin could never best him, even on his worst of days. "Begin."

Takashi immediately rushed after the jōnin, his Byakugan activated. He struck out with his clan's famed jūken, striking at the man's tenketsu. He had a stoic, yet somewhat cocky smirk on his face, showing his cold confidence. That confidence, along with the smirk, vanished when he couldn't even touch his target. Yori had just stepped around every blow like it was nothing. Then suddenly, without warning, the Nara disappeared. With his Byakugan, Takashi could see his sensei reappear behind him, but wasn't fast enough to react. He was struck in the back of the head before he could even blink. His sight turned into darkness.

Tama chuckled loudly, shaking her head in a disappointed manner. "Oh Takashi, I expected more from my greatest friend." She smiled. "Ah well, I guess I'll have to do everything myself, then!" She rushed at the jōnin, taking a kunai from her holster and thrusting it in his general direction. Yori just shook his head. He had seen Uzumaki try to speak with her, and how she had acted like he wasn't even there.

"You're foolish to not notice how helpful your teammates can be, Tama." He scolded. He side-stepped the kunai thrust, the girl falling to her knees.

Getting back up to her feet, she scoffed. "That baby?" she asked. "I'm related to the Sandaime Hokage! What would I need someone like _him _for?" Her undertone was clear as day with how she said that. She saw him like the villagers, like a nuisance.

She rushed at him once again, her kunai still within her right hand. When she was inches away from him she reached out, with her left, thinking it would trip him up a little. She really was a naïve genin.

Yori grabbed her outstretched hand, flinging her to the side. She hit a tree, hard, and wasn't getting up right away. That only left one.

The jōnin looked at the youngest of his potential team, his eyes assessing the small child. He had no idea why he was allowed to graduate early, since if he was a prodigy, everyone would have heard about it. He sighed. It didn't matter all that much anyways. The two eldest were down, their childish minds believing that he would take it easy on them. In the field, in the real world, they wouldn't find anything easy, so why should he show them any different?

"Are you going to charge in, too?" He asked the blond.

The boy just smiled, surprising him a little. He then began to walk towards his sensei, a stoic, calculating gaze aimed at his target. Yori didn't know what it was, but something about the boy's calmness felt… off. Step by step, the blond got closer and closer, his face never leaving its stoic mask. Yori decided to teach the kid a lesson. He ran at the boy, swinging his fist at his face. That's when… something odd happened.

He missed.

He knew, one hundred percent that he should have hit the boy directly in his face, ending the test, allowing him to go home and thus escape another year of dull, troublesome teaching. Yet, even though his logic was flawless, his fist definitely missed. He frowned, deciding to swing his other fist, and just like the last, he was sure it would hit spot on.

And just like the last, it missed.

He had the boy's head in the path of his swing, but right when it was about to make contact, he came up short, like…

Like the boy had moved faster than his trained, shinobi eyes could see.

That was impossible, though. Not only was a genin, a seven year old genin at that, unable to move _that _fast, but the way he moved, it was like he only took a single step back. He couldn't have done that, without him at the very least noticing it, with the kind of speed he would have to have been using.

He was even more shocked when, suddenly, the boy, who had been just out of his reach, had touched his stomach with his right forefinger, somehow within his guard in a blink of an eye.

Had he been an enemy, or even if the boy decided on a whim, he could have killed him.

What was scary about it was the ease in which the boy totally got past his reach, past his defense, and pointed at a vital organ.

Naruto cocked his head to the right, a small, calm smile on his face. "Sensei," he began, startling the Nara jōnin, "This means we're genin now, right?"

Yori nodded, gulping.

What had just happened?

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><p><em>AN:_

_I hope this was an okay start. Some of you most likely have questions, I know I would. Everything will be explained next chapter, or at least what Naruto did to become a genin. _

_Please review! _


	2. Saving a King

_A/N:_

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorite! I know a lot of people had questions, and this chapter doesn't really answer a whole lot of them. Just stay with it! Please. _

_Reviewer responses:_

_ 55__: I do not have a pairing as of yet. I am open to ideas though. (It won't let me put your full username for some reason...)_

_The Fairy King__: I don't like cockiness in characters all that much either. _

_Mr AnimeKidd__: It is somewhat strange. I like it though! _

_ILikeReading1__: Thanks!_

_Kronus96__: I'm a tease like that. ;)_

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><p>Guardian of the Flame<p>

Chapter Two – Saving a King

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><p>Naruto sat in front of his Hokage, a man named Sarutobi Hiruzen. Hiruzen was somewhat of a grandfatherly-figure to him, and one of the only people he could actually trust. It made him smile; knowing that in what seemed like a world that scorned him he had someone that actually cared for him. Naruto's legs kicked back and forth, he was too short to actually touch the ground. He was seven though, that was fine for him.<p>

Behind the Hokage, standing, a curious, slightly nervous look in his eyes, was Nara Yori, the boy's newest jōnin-sensei. Hiruzen sighed, his eyes showing exhaustion. Naruto felt incredibly uncomfortable. He hated causing problems for others, especially for someone he considered a precious person. He stayed silent, respecting his elders, who today became his sempai.

Yori silently went through multiple scenarios, trying to come up with a logical explanation for what had transpired a little over thirty minutes ago. No genin, no matter how skilled, should have been able to do what the apparent blond prodigy had done. He wasn't a cocky, arrogant shinobi, either. He was basing his decisions off fact, and the simple fact was that Uzumaki Naruto was either hiding something, or he was receiving some kind of special training. That, however, meant that someone, somewhere, was in contact with Konoha's jinchūriki.

"Naruto-kun," the Sandaime Hokage began, "Yori tells me that, during your genin test, you were able to best him, an experienced jōnin of a prestigious clan." His voice wasn't hard or untrusting. It was soft, and Naruto could tell that all he wanted to know was how he had done what he did. "Would you mind explaining this?" He asked, not demanding.

The blond moved around in his seat a little, an uncomfortable feel about him. His eyes were on the ground and his mind was racing with thought. He finally spoke, his voice soft and pleading. "Do I have to say?" He asked. When the Hokage nodded, Naruto gave a short sigh. He really didn't want anyone knowing his secret. He didn't want people to have another reason to fear him. "I…" he sighed again, knowing that there was no chance of getting away from this. "I stopped time." He finally admitted. His face was the picture of seriousness.

"You…" Hiruzen started slowly, "Controlled time?" He asked, surprised. He then sighed. "Naruto-kun, please take this seriously." He slightly scolded. "You're a shinobi now, you can't lie to me. I'm your commander now." His voice still wasn't too hard. He didn't want the boy to feel like he was being treated badly any more than he already was.

Naruto shot up in his seat, his eyes wide. "I'm not lying, Hokage-sama." He cried. He would never lie to a precious person. "I really can! I can show you, too!" His voice was full of panic. He didn't want his grandfatherly-figure to see him as a liar, or anything the like. He didn't wait for a response; he did what he said he'd do.

Before Hiruzen and Yori's very eyes, Naruto had just vanished from his seat, like he was never there to begin with.

"See," the Uzumaki's voice was behind them, "I really can. I didn't lie, see?" Hiruzen's head turned slowly, his eyes wide and his mind disbelieving.

"Hokage-sama…" Yori started, but didn't continue when said man waved a dismissing hand.

The Sandaime just stared at the blond boy before him, his mind racing. If this was true, if a shinobi could manipulate time, it would cause anarchy for the nations. Especially if that shinobi was a jinchūriki… the very thought caused him to shiver.

"This is not to be discussed outside of this office." He finally spoke. His voice was that of the powerful Kage he was known to be. "Consider this an S-rank secret." He continued. "Tell no one, trust no one. Am I understood?"

It took Yori a fraction of a second to deduce the Hokage's decision. A shinobi with the power to mess with time was a threat to all other nations, and if his age was considered, it was all too easy to come to his conclusion. "Hai, Hokage-sama." What would the boy be capable of with shinobi training? They barely understood what he could do now, at the tender age of seven. It was impossible to know for sure what he could do in a few years.

Naruto looked at Yori, and then back at the Hokage, a worried look on his face. Had he done something wrong? Had he lost one of the few precious people he had?

Hiruzen saw the worried panic look in the boy, and decided to comfort him. He smiled, placing a hand on the child softly. "You're not in trouble, Naruto-kun. I promise." He tried to give a warm, comforting pat. "I just need you to promise me this. It's for your own safety." He looked the boy in the eyes, azure blue meeting dark black. "Do you trust me, Naruto-kun?" He asked.

Naruto nodded his head. "Hai!" he slightly shouted. He paused for a moment, trying to think his decision over. He never liked to agree to something if he couldn't think it through, thoroughly. He then smiled, deciding that his Hokage was trustworthy. "Okay, Hokage-sama," he started, his happy smile still marring his face, "I promise." He finished.

Hiruzen nodded, smiling at the boy's decision. "Now, I would like to know more about this ability of yours." He sat back in his chair, gesturing for the boy to return to his seat on the other side of the desk. Naruto walked back to the seat, sitting down, ready to let someone know his biggest secret, or at least the biggest secret he knew of.

"It all started with a butterfly." Naruto began his tale.

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><p><em>Five years old Naruto was taking a walk. He loved walks, they calmed him down. The sky was full of stars, and the crescent moon lit the path he enjoyed taking, despite not being full. The trees rocked back and forth with the cold winds, and the sounds of birds were a beauty his ears very much appreciated.<em>

_He walked slowly, enjoying the forested path, secluded in an area not many visited. It was a sanctuary, a paradise. It was peace. _

_Taking a deep breath of clean air, he let his lungs enjoy the pureness of the oxygen. Letting the air out, he stopped, noticing something in the bush to his right. _

_It was heartbreaking. It was saddening. It was the circle of life. _

_Caught in a spider's web was the most beautiful butterfly he had ever seen. Its wings were such a bright orange that they almost glowed in the darkness. It was poetic, not that the young mind of the boy knew it. A helpless, beauty of nature, entangled in an ugly truth of life: for one to live, another must die. It was the one instance that the natural world and the shinobi world were similar. _

_Before his very eyes, a king was sentenced to death. _

_Naruto knew from his books that this butterfly was a monarch. He loved butterflies. They had a beauty about them that enthralled his mind every time he laid eyes on them. A single tear ran down his cheek, the sorrow of such a beautiful creature trapped, waiting to be devoured, getting to him. _

_Catching something orange in the corner of his eye, the boy turned to look at the tree above him. His eyes widened in horror, his young mind not understanding that what was happening was not cruel, just a part of life. Settled on a tree right above him, another butterfly sat, still as the night sky. His mind saw it as the trapped butterfly's family member, a precious person. His mind saw himself, watching as the Hokage was given to fate. _

_He balled his hands, running at the web, denying fate. He scooped the injured monarch into his small hands, tears flowing down his cheeks the entire time. He knew that, by saving the butterfly, a spider would go hungry. He shed tears for the spider. What if the arachnid had family of its own? What if the butterfly was its only hope for survival? Yes, Naruto was heartbroken with his monumental decision. _

_He ran, ran as fast as his little legs could take him. His eyes were blurred with the liquid streaming from them, so he couldn't see the butterfly that had been watching following him. He didn't know where he was going, what he was going to do when he got there. All he knew was why he was doing it. He couldn't sit by and watch as something so beautiful was taken from this ugly world. His heart was pounding. His breath was heavy._

_Stopping, suddenly coming to a great lake that seemed to glow just as the firefly's buzzing above it, he allowed himself to fall to his knees. He stayed like that for many seconds, catching his breath, trying to understand the emotions he was feeling. He saved a life, but possibly condemned another. He helped something beautiful, but possibly hurt something necessary. He took a deep breath, raising his head to look at his clasped hands. He stared at them like they were not his own. He shakily opened them, peaking in on what lay inside. _

_As soon as his eyes met the beautiful form of the dazzling king, his heart stopped racing, his breath evened, and his mind had calmed. He was looking at brilliance, pure, nature-made brilliance. _

"_Hello," Naruto whispered to the butterfly, "My name's Naruto. What's yours?" He asked. He smiled, chuckling to himself slightly. He knew a butterfly couldn't talk. Maybe that's why he was so happy to talk to it. A butterfly couldn't call him names. A butterfly couldn't look at him with hateful eyes. "I'll call you… Chō-chan!" It wasn't very original, but he was five. Not many original ideas came from those so young. _

_Chō-chan tried to flutter its left wing, only for it to stop, obviously in pain. Naruto's brow furrowed, Chō-chan's pain hurting his heart. _

"_Your wing, Chō-chan!" he cried, bringing his newest friend closer to his face. He looked at it sadly. "What can I do?" He asked. "How can I make it better?" Memories of his own painful experiences came to his mind. But whereas he was here, with the butterfly, he had been all alone, forced to suffer, alone._

_He closed his eyes, shutting them as tight as possible, clasping his hands together, and bringing them close. He silently prayed. He prayed, wished with all his might, that someone, that something would help Chō-chan. He had never wanted anything more in his young life. He didn't want another living creature to feel the same pain he had already felt. Where his pain was emotional, Chō-chan's was physical, and he wanted nothing more than to switch places with it. He wanted to endure the pain himself; so that the beautiful butterfly could do what is was meant to, to fly. _

_He wanted it to all go back, back to the time where Chō-chan wasn't hurt. Where the butterfly had two, healthy wings, to where it could fly again. _

_Opening his eyes, he was greeted by something unknown. His hands – were they his hands? – were alit in a bright, while light, the same color as the moon above him. He had never seen this light before, or anything like it. He was almost positive that it wasn't what most would call normal, but he also knew, somehow, that it wasn't harmful. If anything, it felt… old. How anything could feel old was too complicated for his young mind to contemplate, but that was the answer nonetheless. His azure eyes watched with a trance-like fascination as the white lit up the dark._

_He couldn't help it anymore; he slightly opened his hands, looking in to see what exactly was happening. And when he saw, he looked on disbelief. Before his very eyes, Chō-chan was getting better, like its wing was turning back to when it wasn't damaged. It was going back. His wishes were answered. _

_That in and of its self was odd since he never got what he wanted. He didn't have a mommy. He didn't have a daddy. He didn't have a sibling. He didn't have anyone, sides the Hokage, but he could only do so much. Yet here his wishes, his hopes were being given to him. It was beautifully amazing, miraculous even. _

_The white died down, and the old feeling was gone with it. He completely opened his hands, watching something beautiful spread its wings. Chō-chan beat its wings, climbing into the air. Naruto pointed his finger at nothing in particular. The king of butterflies landed on his finger, making the boy smile, laugh and cry all at once. _

_Chō-chan took off from his finger, and Naruto's azure eyes widened when he saw the second butterfly from before meet it. The two fluttered side-by-side, almost dancing to an unheard rhythm, and it was hypnotizing. It made Naruto feel warm inside. His childish mind saw a mommy, and a daddy, and hoped that, somewhere, their baby was waiting for them. His childish mind had saw him saving his parents, whoever they may be, and that struck something inside him with great force. _

_Determination lit his azure eyes with white-hot flames. He would be joining the academy next year, and he would become a shinobi as fast as he possible could, so that he could protect all the other mommies and daddies. So that he could protect all the others like himself. _

_He was Uzumaki Naruto, and he had a purpose now._

_He took a step, ready to go home and sleep, feeling very tired. The second his foot touched the grassy ground, his vision blurred and he felt dizzy. He vaguely felt his knees hit the ground, and then, without any more warning, he slipped into unconsciousness._

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><p><em>AN:_

_I know most people like longer chapters, and the chapters of this story will no doubt lengthen, but I'm sort of enjoying the short chapters. I can put in that raw emotion that otherwise would be somewhat lost in the tsunami that is 10,000 words plus. _

_I also know that, even though I explained, somewhat, what Naruto is capable of, it wasn't much. All I can say is that everything will be revealed when it is time. _


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